1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to telecommunication services systems and methods, and in particular, to telecommunication services systems and methods that enable a buyer to certify and activate a used wireless telecommunications device. The systems and methods may also be employed to provide the buyer of a used wireless telecommunications device with specialized pricing options and other customized services.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Security elements, which are becoming an essential component of telecommunication services, are used to authenticate the buyer of a wireless telecommunications device. Based on current technology, security elements may take many forms, including removable and non-removable types, relative to the telecommunications device. A well-known removable type of security element is a subscriber identity module (SIM), currently used in telecommunications devices that operate according to the Global System for Mobile (GSM) standard.
A service certificate is an electronic document signed by a trusted third party, i.e., a certification agency (CA)—which states that a named entity is a certified buyer of the public key contained in the certificate for the service identified by the certificate number. Service certificates may be used as electronic credit cards in mobile e-commerce. However, since many “credit cards” can be assigned to a small number of key pairs, the issuer of the security may not be the issuer of the service certificate, so that the issuer of the security element does not control all uses of the security element.
Currently, if a SIM-enabled wireless telecommunications device is lost or stolen, a buyer can notify his or her wireless service provider, who can block access to the network at the wireless infrastructure. FIG. 1 illustrates this scenario. Wireless phone 101 using SIM card 102 normally accesses the wireless operator's infrastructure 103 through public land mobile network (PLMN) 104. In turn, the public switched telephone network (PSTN), 105, and the Internet, 106 can be accessed. When access to the network is denied at infrastructure 103, as indicated by the cross in the box depicting 103, the denial of service is based on the phone number of the lost phone recorded in the phone's SIM card.
A legitimate buyer of the wireless telecommunications device notifies the certificate issuer of the loss. The issuer then adds its certificate to a certificate revocation list (CRL) which is sent to telecommunication services provider, 203, through the regular secure payment gateway, 206, so that the telecommunication services provider knows to deny attempts to use the wireless telecommunications device.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,289,526 discloses a method and apparatus for monitoring and reporting information relating to the operation of cellular telephone systems. The patent discloses that the method and apparatus may be employed to analyze the performance of a cellular system as it is acting in the field.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,471,526 discloses a method and apparatus for detecting events occurring in a telecommunications network. The method and apparatus include stored program control exchanges that execute software programs having controlled sequences that are responsive to certain events.
U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,572,571; 5,828,956; and 6,018,656 disclose a method and apparatus that permit a buyer to program the necessary information to incorporate a cellular telephone into a network without assistance from a dealer.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,223,290B1 discloses a method and apparatus for controlling use of an electronic system, including a cellular telephone. The patent discloses that the method and apparatus may be employed to identify and prevent fraudulent use of the cellular telephone.
U.S. Application No. 2002/0186845A1 discloses a method and apparatus for remotely disabling and enabling access to secure transaction functions of a mobile phone. The method and apparatus, which enable a buyer to immediately block access to the payment and buyer authentication functions in a security element of the phone, include a step or means for verifying the authenticity of the buyer.
WO 02/01891 discloses a system for storing information while using a mobile communication device such as a mobile phone. The system, which stores data from a mobile communications device over a mobile communications network to a remote storage device, permits a buyer to have access to increased capacity.
None of the references discloses or suggests a system or method that enables a buyer to certify and activate a used wireless telecommunications device. There is thus a need for a system and method that enables a buyer to certify and activate a used wireless telecommunications device.